Tabulator-stop-setting device.



W. E; PALMER. TABULATOR STOP SETTING DEVIOE.-

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911'.

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W. E. PALMER. IABULATOB. STOP SETTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1910.

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WALTER E. PALMER, OF CICERO, TLLINOIS.

TABULATOR-STOP-SETTING DEVICE. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VALTER E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cicero, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois,-have invented certain new and useful .Improvements inTabula'tor- Stop-Setting Devices; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

- This invention relates to improvements in tabulating mechanism fortypewriting machines and refers more specifically to novel means forsetting and resettingthe column or tabulator stops of such mechanism bywhich the carriage is arrested at -predetermined points in its travelfor pfinting a series of items in vertical columns. Tabulatingmechanisms of this character usually embrace, in combination with thecarriage and the machine f'rame, a series of stops supported on one of.the parts and longitudinally adjustable with respect to the path of thecarriage travel, and a cooperating device carried by the other partadapted, by manipulation of a key or like device, to be shifted into thepath of one of the stops,vthe said key usually operating at the sametime to release the carriage from the control of its letter spacingmechanism so as to permit the carriage to move under the influence ofits actuating spring to a point or points determined by the adjustmentof the stop or stops.

I have herein shown my invent-ion as applied to the Oliver typewriter ofthe general construction illustrated in the prior patent to Knapp andHarting,,No. 916,720, dated March 30th, 1909, but it will be understoodthat the essential features of the invention may be applied to othertypes of machines, and'the invention is not, therefore, limited to thespecific adaptation herein disclosed, except as to such claims whereinthe particular structure is specifically set forth.

As shown in the drawings,Figure 1 is a transverse section of the papercarriage and a portion of the shifting carriage. "Fig. 2 is a fra.entary plan view of the stop setting device embracing my invention.Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the arts shown in Fig. 2, Fig.4 is a face or .ed longitudinally of the bar.

' Patented Nov. 7,1911.

5 is a fragmentary view illustrating'one of REISSUED the stops and itssupporting ratchet bar,'

showing the stop released from its supporting member. Fig. 6 is afragmentary view illustrating the essential features of my invention, ina position different from that shown in Fig.1. Fig. 7 is a view of theparts shown in Fig. 6, in still another position wliich they assumeduring operation.

As shown in said drawings, 10 designates the longitudinal frame memberof the carriage, on the forward margin of which is formed the-rack 11which engages with the,

pinion 12 of the letter spacing mechanism, said carriage being supportedon and traveling on the rails 14 and 15 of the carriage shifting frame.The said frame member 10 is provided with a depending flange or bar 17located just in rear of the vertical plane o-f'the rack 11. The bar 17is provided at its lower margin with a plurality of closely spacedratchet teeth 18, and is provided also on its front face with a scalemarked to correspond with the letter space scale of the carriage, andwith the ratchet teeth 18. Mounted on said bar 17 are a plurality ofadjustable tabulator or column stops 20 of the form shown best in Figs.5, 6 and 7; each stop comprising parallel front and rear membersconnected by the lower transverse member, and arranged to embrace thelower toothed margin of the bar 17 The front member of the stop isprovided at its upper end near one margin with a stud 21 adapted toengage in a longitudinal groove 22 formed inand extending longitudinallyof the bar 17, whereby said stops may be shift- The transverse membersof said stops are provided with holding teeth 23 adapted to engage theratchet teeth 18 of the bar17 to lock said stops in adjusted positionson'the flange. The said stopsare normally held in positions to engagethe holding teeth 23 with the ratchet teeth '18 of the bar 17 by meansof the springs 25'attached to the stops and to the flange in; the mannershown in the aforesaid patent to Knapp and Harting,

No. 916,720, this being the normal position of the stopsi When the stopsare swung downwardly about their pivot studs 21 to the position shown inFigs. 5 and 7 the stops are free to slide longitudinally of the ratchetbar 17 so as to be set, in any desired positionalong thebar; and whenthe stops are unrestrained the said springs 25 return the stops tonormal positionswith the teeth 23 thereof engaged with the ratchet teeth18 0f the bar 17, whereby to lock the stops in adjusted positions.Said-stops cooperate with a key actuated, stop member 27 pivotallymounted on the shift frame, said stop member being movable verticallyinto and out of the path ofthe stops 20. Said stop member is shown asformed on the rear end of. the key actuated lever 28 which is piv-'otally mounted on a suitable bracket carried by the carriage shiftframe. The lever 28 is provided with an upwardly and rearwardlyextending arm 29 which is connected by a horizontally arranged link 30with the upper end of the shaft 81 that carries the pinion 12 of theletter spacing mechanism;

the arrangement being such that when the lever 28 is swung to move thestop member 27 into the path of the stops 20, said pinion Will bereleased fromthe rack of the letterv spacing mechanism so that thecarriage will be free to move under the influence of its actuatingspring to a position determined by the adjustment of the next adjacentstop 20. These features of the tabulating mechanism described are likethat of the construction of the Knapp and Harting patent before referredto and constitute, in themselves, no part of ,thepresent invention.Heretofore in tabulating-mechanisms of this general type it has beennecessary. when it is desired to adjust or reset the stops, as the I forexample, in large offices requiring tabu-- dating in columns ofdifferent widths, such readjustment or resetting ,of the stops to changethe spacing of the columns is tedious and" consumes considerable time.

It is the object of the present invention to provide means which may beoperated by a single actuating key or like device to set or adjust aplurality-of stops to vary the spacing of the tabulated work withoutremoving the carriage or manually shifting the stops, and a furtherobject of this inven tion is to separately reset any one of a pluralityof stops, as the stops 20, by a single actuating device.

In the present Oliver construction it. is convenient to associate thesetting or adjusting device with, or mount the same on the right handmargin release key lever 32,

bywhich to release the stop member 33, carried by the rear end of saidkey lever, from or move it out of the path of the right hand marginstop-34 which is also adjustably mounted on the ratchet bar 17, as shownin Fig. 4. While this arrangement of the setting or adjusting device isdesirable to apply my tabulator stop setting or adusting device toamachine of'the kind shown without material change in the constructionthereof, yet it is to be understood that the invention in its broaderaspect is not limited to this arrangement, but said setting or adjustingdevice may be provided with a separate actuating key. The said settingor adjusting device comprises, in

general terms, a rearwardly directed finger -of the groove 22 which.receivesthe pivot studs 21of the stops 20; the said groove being shownas somewhat enlarged by wt ting away the metal of the bar 17 in order toreceive said finger and to permit the carriage to be moved freelywithout restricting engagement of the finger with the carriage frame orsaid stops. The said swinging laterally extending pin 41 which normallylies a distance above the upper margin 01 the key lever 32, and isadapted, when the rear end of the key lever is swung upwardly, to beengaged by the latter (as shown in Fig. 6). In the continued swingingmovement of the key lever the contact of the lever with said pin 41serves toswing the member 37 forwardly, and thereby swing the rear endof'the finger 36 downwardly. The said stops are provided at their upperends, and near the margins thereof remote from the pivot studs 21, withupwardly opening notches 42, and the relation of the stop member 27 withthe rearmember 87 is provided at one side with a I end of the finger 3Gis such that when the carriage is arrested by engagement of one of thestops 20 with said stop member 27 the rear end of the said finger 36will be located directly over the notch 42 of the adjacentstop, asindicated at the left hand end of Fig. 4. Therefore, when the carriageis thus arrested by engagement of one of the stops 20 with the stopmember 27 and it is found necessary or desirable to reset or adjust thestop to bring the column to the proper position on the paper receivingthe printed impressions, the key lever is depressed, as shown in Figs. 5and 6, and said lever engages the pin 41 to swing the member 37forwardly and thereby swing the rear end of the finger 36 downwardlyinto engagement with the notch 42 of the adjacent stop to swing the stopon its pivot stud to the released position indicated-in Fig. 5. The stopmay be held in this position by said fin ger andthe carria e shifted inone dire'ction or-theother, either by hand, or by the forward orback-spacing mechanism, and thereby change the relative position'of' thestop on its carrying member or bar 17Tso as to adjust or set said stopto arrest the carriage at a new point for tabulating work. It will bereadily seen that either of the stops 20 may thus be adjusted or reset,and that such resetting-operation is effected by a single manually.operable device, as the key lever 32.

WVhen the setting or adjusting device is mounted on or associated withthe right hand marginal release key, and is therefore located over thestop member 33 of said key, the said stop member may be provided withthe. upwardly opening notch 44 to receive the finger 36 when swungdownwardly into engagement'with the notched stop 20 and thus stiifen.said finger againstlateral defiection, as will be evident. In otheradaptations of the setting finger it may be otherwise stifiFened.

- While I have herein shown one practical embodiment of my invention forresetting the column or tabulating stops of tabulating mechanisms, itwill be understood that the invention-is not limited to the constructionherein shown, but is applicable to all tabu; lating mechanism of thisgeneral character, embracing a plurality of stops adapted to belongitudinally adjusted on their support,

and to be engaged by a co-acting stop device or member which is arrangedto be shifted into and out of the path of the adjustable stops.

I claim as my 1nvent1on:-

1. In a tabulator mechanism for typewritmg machines. the combinationwith a plu-' rality of tabulator stops and the supporting member alongwhich they are longitudinally spaced and upon which they are mounted tobe adjusted toward and fromveach other, of

a a single movably mounted setting or adjusting device adapted todirectly engage and separately release and set or adjust the stops alongtheir supporting member. 7

2. Ina tabulator mechanism for typewrit ing machines, the combinationwith a plurality of tabulator stops and a supporting member therefor,along which the stops are longitudinally spaced and upon which they areadapted to be adjusted toward and. from each other, with means forlockingthe stops in adjusted positions, of a movably mounted settingdevice adapted to separately andindependently release the lockingmechanism of each stop, and hold the stop to permit it to be adjusted byrelative movement of tlfe supporting member. I Y 3. In a tabulatormechanism-for typewriting machines, the combination with aplurality oftabulator stops and-a supporting member therefor along which the stopsare adapted to be adjusted, with means for lockingv the stops inadjusted positions, of alever operated setting finger adapted td release the locking means and to confine-the stops while relativeadjustment of the stops and bar is effected. 4. In a tabulator mechanismfor typewriting machines, the combination with a plurality of tabulatorstopsand a supporting bar along which said stops are adapted to 'beadjusted, said stops having rocking motion on the bar whereby they maybe locked to and released from the bar, and means to interlock with thestops to rock them to releasing positions and to retain or confine thestops while being adjusted on said bar.

5. In a tabulator mechanism for typewriting machines, the combinationwith a mem- "to hold the stops while the member is shifted to adjustthestops on saidban.

6. In a tabulator mechanism for typewriting-machines, the combinationwith a member'carried by or movable with the carriage and a plurality ofstops having means to lock them on said memberand adapted to be adjustedlongitudinally of the member, of a lever actuated finger pivoted to arela .tively fixed part of the frame'and adapted to interlock with thestops to release them from the member and, to hold them while saidmember is being longitudinally shifted to thereby adjust the stops onthe member.

7. In a tabulator mechanism for typewriting machines, the combinationwith a member carried by or movable with the carriage and a plurality ofstops having means to lock them on said member and adapted to beadjusted longitudinally of the member, of a lever actuated fingerpivoted to a relatively fixed part of the frame and adapted to interlookwith the stops to-release them from 1 the member and to hold them whilesaid memberfis being longitudinally shifted to thereby adjust thestopson the member, and

means arranged to brace or stiffen the finger near its free end.

8. A 'tabulator stop setting device-comprising a lever-actuated memberhaving means to separately engage the tabulator stops to release thelatter from their supportmg member and confine the stops while they arebeing, adjusted on the support, and

means. for movably supporting the lever actuated member. a

9; Ina tabulator or stop" -inechanism for typewritmg machines,-thecombination with a stop device auditssupportingmemberto with the stopdevice to hold it"stationaryi and torelease' the stop device from itssupporting member.

: In a tabulator or stop mechanism for typewriting machines, thecombination with a stop devlce and its supporting member to which thestop device is normally-locked, of

Va pivoted lever arranged when swung in-one dlIBCtIOIl to release thestop device from 10 airy, and when swung in the other direction itssupporting member and lock it stationto relock the stop device to itssupporting a member and release said stop device.

1 1. A typewriting machine embracing an endwi traveling paper carriageand its supporting frame abar carried by and arrangedr longitud .ally ofthe carriage, a series ofspaced tabulate stops on the .bar andadjustable longitudinally therealong with meansjfor lockingthem inadjusted poiition, means mounted on said frame to separately andindependently release 'said stops from the bar and'to hold them stationary while the carriage is shifted end wise and thereby reset thestops on said bar, and a cooperating stop on the frame. 12. Atypcwriting machine embracing an endwise traveling carriage and itssupport-v ing frame, a bar carried by and arranged longitudinally of thecarriage and provided with a series of closely'spaced notches, a seriesof tabulator stops spaced longitudinally of said bar and slidableendwise thereof and provided with means to engage the notches of the barto lock the stops thereto, means carriedby said frame arranged toseparately release said stops from the notches of said bar and to holdthem stationary while the carriage is shifted. end- Wise to therebyreset the stops on the bar and a cooperating stop on the frame,

13. A typewriting machine embracing an endwise travehng carriage and itssupporting frame, a bar carried by and arranged longitudinally of thecarriage and provided with a series of closely spaced notches, a

series of tabulator stops spaced longitudinally of said bar and slidableendwise there of, and having a rocking or tilting move-- ment thereon toengage the stopsvvith and release" them from the notched bar, meanscarried by the frame for so releasing the stops from said bar and forholding them temporarily fixed during the endwise movement of thecarriage and a cooperating stop carried by said frame.

1 1-. A typewriting machine embracing an endwise traveling carriage andits supporting frame, a letter spacing mechanism embracing a rack on thecarriage and a'pinion flange on the rack bar, a series of longitudinallyspaced tabulator stops carried by and adjusted longitudinally of saidflange, a cooperating stop on the carriage and resetting means.embracing a member mounted on the frame to separately engage thetabulator stops and release them from the said flange and to hold themfixed while the carriage is shifted en dwise.

15. In a typewriter, an endWise traveling carriage and its supportingframe, a series.

of tabulator stops carried by and adjustable '-relatively to each otherlongitudinally of as m invention I aflix m si nature in the presence oftwo witnesses. this 16th day of December A. D. 191.0.

WALTER E. PALMER. IVitnesses \V. L. HALL,

IVILLIAM GOLDBERGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C.

60 and a tabulator mechanism embracing a

